Kalymnos

I arrived at the airport in Kos at about 2:30am in the morning. This seemed a little daunting, given I only possessed a bag of clothes some basic climbing equipment, and a Kalymnos guide book to hand, which throughout the holiday, earned a status of becoming a bible!

After sitting in a nicely found all night bar, I boarded the ferry at 7:00am and about 40Min's later arrived at Kalymnos port Pothia. I headed to a place called Stefano’s Climbing House.

who's wife promptly invited me in to her own kitchen and offered coffee and breakfast, while someone prepared the room.

During my stay there it became evident that the saying, 'My house your house' was literally what the phrase actually meant to them and their climbers. I had become a part of a climbing family, they gave me home made cake through out my stay. Stefano and his family provided all the climbing residents in the apartments with a free meal once a week.

It was my first trip to Kalymnos, and spent 12 fun filled days on the Island, climbing over 40 routes and forcefully managing only one rest day.

During my stay I had really taken to a technical 7B route at an area called Sparticus.

I had been itching to send this climb I had quickly taken to. I loved the route its self, better yet it had all my favorite moves.

I climbed up the lower part of the slab that scooped in and then bulged out at the top like a barrel.

As I climbed in to the crux of the route on the barrel, I had managed to get my left hand in to a slopey tapered crack, only have the tips of my fingers in. Rather than holding the holds with my fingers, using my tips gave me a tiny amount of extra reach so that I could get my other fingertips on to the good jug out left (at this point it was not yet a good jug!!!).

Fully stretched out, and trying to lock my shoulders in so that my hands didn’t slip, I worked my feet a bit higher to bounce my left hand fully in to the good jug. Finally I could move my right hand in to a sideways slanting crimpy pinch hold.

I so felt relived as the first few hard crux moves were over. Moving my hand out of the jug I placed my heel there instead, to rock up and cross through with for good two finger stacked pocket.

I changed my heel to a toe, placed my right foot on some ridiculously small thing that looked like it would probably break if I stood on it (thinking thank god for the good edge on my shoe!), and stood up as tall as I could to yet again another slopey hold!

At this point I became slightly nervous, as I knew I was not going to reach the next clip due to having to use my full span, and more.

If I released to clip, I’d lose my balance and body tension, and possibly barn door off. If I stepped my foot up to reach the next hand hold, that began as an undercut turning in to a good slanting side pull as I worked my feet high, I would be too high to reach the clip.

I climbed past the clip, through the slanting side pull, past some tiny crimps with high feet and found my self safely at the clip after!

I’d previously been falling off on the reachy moves, definitely surprising myself that I’d problem solved so quickly. Committing to the choice of missing a clip, rather than stalling or falling, on a part of the climb I could read and sequence quite well in my head.

Nearing the end of the trip I headed to Ghost kitchen another area I really enjoyed. The main area at Ghost kitchen was a very serial, slightly overhanging wall, that had sporadic strange tufa formations. The formations protruded out of the wall almost like tree branches. They were awesome, you could sit on them, lye on them, hang upside down with your legs hooked over them, and one of my specialties… knee bar them!!!!!

I was a little nervous at first as stepping on the tufa's felt really strange, and I was quite concerned about what was going to be in my fall path. But I started climbing those thoughts quickly faded away.

Each tufa made a different sound, like playing a xylophone with your feet! It was good fun climbing there, I totally felt like a beginner climber all over again, just discovering how to climb.

I cant explain in words how happy I was to have had the experience and opportunity to climb there, its just an expression on my face.

Slate, Australia Area by Accident

Another great weekend in wales, I have researched and found out the route I had done in Dali's hole last weekend was The Telescopic Stem Master.

We stumbled up on the Tube Area in Australia completely by accident and just couldn't pass it by. We had no knowledge of the shiny looking retro bolted climbs, so we all just jumped on and climbed.

I lead almost one of my favourite climbs Gadaffi Duck E2 6A?, Turn of the Century E2 5c, Dried-Mouth Sesame Seed HVS, which I though actually flowed really well. Then seconded a couple of others.

Yet again and excellent weekend, I'm starting to really get attached to this place.

We also discovered a massive and impressive looking bolted slab, that could be a very interesting venture indeed. I'm not sure what it is, as I haven't studied my old slate guide. It is at the very top far left Australia area. Am defiantly going back for that one, but only after I return from Kalymnos.

Slate Quarries and Ogwin Boulders

This weekend was an excellent trip to Wales.

Saturday was spent in the Slate Quarries helping out some fellow members of the Ceunant Mountaineering club with, a few beginner climbers. I haven't done much there, so I put up a few Sports routes that I’d previously found really nice and flowy, whilst others were toproping some trad. They were all eager to try and decipher the slate famous hand to foot style. The group were really good fun, and picked it up pretty quickly.

Whilst at Dali’s Hole On the far right, John pointed out a bouldery, one bolt, micro looking route. It had a very small unnoticeable run out, to a lower off that was apparently a 7a? This was not confirmed as it looks quite new, and I cant seem to find it on the slate website. I gave it a go any way.

I had few attempts to red point it, and decided to go for the lead. He advised me not to use the left arête, which I think would have made it easier, so I followed John’s advice and avoided it. The route was short and sweet, quite technical up a right hand side arête, to an unobvious dreaded smear on a smooth slab! I managed to get a very high foot, and rock up to some flat holds, and it was done, its well worth a tickle!

I'm hoping to get back up there next weekend as I think this hand to foot business quite suits me.

A slightly late start, breakfast at Pete's Eats, a very small hangover, due to getting accidentally drunk, whilst watching the live band in the...... ‘VERY’ conveniently located crawling distance pub! Sunday was spent at some boulders in the Ogwin Valley. We finally hit an area called The Sheep Pen boulders.

Dog shooter and its 6c variation were sent in the fashion of one up all up. There was a
really nice traverse that ended up this problem starting lower right. I didn’t quite get it, I was pretty close but next time 'I'll have it'!

I’m looking forward to going back and spending a little more time discovering some more gems, maybe next weekend after the slate quarries?

Ah and kalymnos in 9day's woooohoooo.

Deep Water Soloing Portugal

Well, my first trip deep water soloing, and I loved it.

Just 2 days after dislocating my knee cap, whilst training at my local wall, and having a little bit of a stress about whether I’d be able to climb or rockup, I was determined not to miss out on the experience of deep water soloing. So taping it had to do, and off we flew!!!

Arriving at Sagres and finding our way to Ingrina's Main Cave area for DWS, was an absolutely amazing sight. The decent path to the start of the routes was an easy and safe down climb. I would highly recommend it as a place to start experiencing DWS in Portugal. We had not taken a descent rope, or gear as we were not sure what to expect from the whole experience, and as it was an economy flight our baggage weight really limited us. A few easy 10meter routes were sent on some steep rock. The rock was sharp, immaculate, and really enjoyable to climb, not only that but it threw some lovely moves out at me.

Nude Boy Wall was also visited, this area was a little more exposed to down climb but has good juggy holds. It was more vertical face climbing, and after hitting the sea, I found the easiest way to get out was to swim right and climb up the big easy leftward leaning ramp. The tide was out so the normal climb out was a little steep.

Smiley Face was also an area of interest, we couldn’t help but conclude it had fallen down! It was nowhere to be seen, we had spent a lot of time looking for it, and studying the picture in the guidebook. We had found the cave in the picture that was situated behind Smiley Face, but not Smiley face itself. This was a little disappointing, but I guess it happens.

I now cant wait to do deep water soloing again after having such an exciting short experience, yup it was scary but soooooo much fun.